‘Sally’ Review: Astronaut Sally Ride’s Life Partner Shares the Personal Saga of the Public Icon

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In one of numerous interviews where Sally Ride was asked about her groundbreaking work in the U.S. space program, she corrected a reporter on how to address her. “You can call me Dr. Ride or Sally, but not Miss,” she said, adding a friendly smile that made her lecture less formal and significantly impacted director Cristina Costantini’s captivating documentary about the first American woman in space.

In the movie “Sally,” directed by Costantini (known for “Science Fair”), he frequently gets up close to Ride’s face – capturing her smile, her piercing blue eyes, and moments of deep thought. He achieves this intimate feeling by focusing on old photographs. Additionally, he makes Ride seem almost present by combining footage with audio from interviews she gave throughout her life.

Back in 1978, I was proud to be part of a trailblazing group of women who dared to dream beyond Earth’s boundaries as we joined NASA’s space program. My fellow pioneers included Judith Resnik, Anna Fisher, Shannon Lucid, Margaret Seddon, and Kathryn Sullivan. While Fisher and Sullivan share their captivating tales that shed light on the times, they also bring a touch of humanity to our aspirations – both their own and mine. Sadly, Resnik lost her life in the tragic 1985 Challenger explosion.

Previously, she was a Ph.D. student in physics at Stanford, when NASA declared they would welcome women and people of color into their team. In that year, among 8,000 applicants, there were 1,500 females. Regarding the racial diversity of the initial class excluding white males? A news anchor stated, “There were six women, three African Americans, and one person of Asian origin.

Constanitni and editor Kate Hackett skillfully incorporate an abundance of archival footage, frequently capturing the enthusiasm and exhilaration that the U.S. space program sparked, while maintaining a playful tone: The director weaves together a montage of the Ride team’s flight training with John Fabian after being selected as Challenger crewmembers, accompanied by ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky.

After serving in missions during the Vietnam War, astronaut Mike Mullane expressed to the documentary maker that he felt the women who had been admitted hadn’t “earned their stripes.” He shared a joke with an off-color punchline about breasts, which strained his relationship with Sally Ride. In 1978, Mullane embodied the muscular, crew-cut men portrayed in Tom Wolfe’s book “The Right Stuff.” The documentary maker then showed clips from sitcoms and movies mocking the idea of female astronauts, further highlighting Mullane’s dismissiveness. These instances were clear examples of bias, but they also demonstrated a striking lack of creativity.

Apart from highlighting the struggles faced by Ride and her fellow women astronauts at NASA, the build-up to Ride’s groundbreaking space flight also underscores the fact that any rocket launch can be simultaneously ordinary, extraordinary, and perilous. Just before the Challenger took off, Ride paid close attention to where she was holding her pencil in the cockpit.

In 2012, Ride passed away due to pancreatic cancer. Despite the extensive media coverage of her life, it was revealed in her obituary that she had been with her partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, for 27 years. Lynn Sherr, a journalist who covered the space program and became friends with her, admitted with a touch of humor, “I felt enraged first, and then I felt sad.

The film “Sally” conveys a strong implication that if we lived on a flawless planet or in a fair and open society, Sally Ride could have openly flourished as the extraordinary astronaut she was. This sentiment is echoed by O’Shaughnessy’s words, “out and proud and all that stuff.” The movie draws heavily on O’Shaughnessy’s recollections of their relationship, having first met at a tennis camp where Billie Jean King was the instructor as youngsters. Sally Ride’s mother and sister make enlightening appearances in the film.

When Ride and O’Shaughnessy’s romantic relationship started, Ride was already married to fellow Challenger classmate Steven Hawley, who is one of the interviewees. Much like other aspects concerning that group of astronauts, the marriage between two space enthusiasts generated headlines. Fellow astronaut Kathy Sullivan remembers thinking back then, “What a clever publicity stunt.

The filmmaker suggests that while Ride might have remained private due to her inherent nature, there could also have been a fear of potential loss if she had revealed her identity publicly. It’s possible for both ideas to hold truth.

The widespread support for NASA’s space program was disrupted when the Challenger disintegrated in 1986, carrying Judy Resnick, who had been one of two women NASA was seriously considering for that groundbreaking mission. Ride found out about the tragedy while on a commercial flight returning to California from Atlanta, where she had visited O’ Shaughnessy. Upon discovering the extent of NASA’s dishonesty regarding safety issues, she decided to resign.

In the last month before she passed away, Ride urged O’Shaughnessy to discuss their relationship freely. The book “Sally” is significant due to her profound insights. Although Ride and O’Shaughnessy were never married, her openness beautifully combines a remarkable professional journey with a compelling personal love tale.

In “Sally,” Costantini intertwines O’Shaughnessy’s memories with reenactments, which can sometimes feel overly sentimental but are also important for sharing. These scenes not only evoke a sense of nostalgia but also make the bond between Ride and O’Shaughnessy more accessible to the public, where it should be.

The National Geographic documentary is remarkably relevant. The establishment of the space program was a direct consequence of civil rights legislation. Furthermore, the Sally Ride Science Academy, founded in 2001 by Ride, O’Shaughnessy and others, has been instrumental in broadening STEM education, ensuring access for everyone.

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2025-02-03 09:47